Guest post: A Perfect Red - Chanel Gabrielle

Georgia from 'Georgia on My Mind' blog was one of the first beauty bloggers that I followed, therefore I was thrilled when she agreed to write a guest post for my blog. As well as writing a brilliant post, she has now inspired serious lipstick lust, thanks to her post *adds item to shopping list* Read on to find out the new object of my makeup desire!

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I firmly believe that every woman needs to own at least one great red lipstick. I also firmly believe every woman should own a piece of 'Chanel'. Let me show you how to kill two proverbial birds with one stone. Meet 'Chanel' Rouge Coco in shade 'Gabrielle'

It is a truth universally acknowledged that 'Chanel' do reds very well. Generally if I'm looking for a great red, I look to 'Chanel' first. Whilst I own more than I care to admit, this is one I use most often. Something about 'Gabrielle' calls to me more than the other reds on offer.

Bearing the name of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel herself this lipstick is the epitome of timelessness and a true classic. From the understated elegance of the black and gold case to the creamy, opaque coverage of the lipstick itself - 'Gabrielle' is a winner and one of the few lipsticks I constantly recommend to others. If you are looking for your perfect red - look no further.

If you only ever purchase and own one red lipstick..let it be 'Gabrielle'. A universally flattering shade - a 'true' red if you will. It does lean slightly more to being a blue based red, but contains enough orange to counteract the blue, making it flattering on cool or warm skin tones. It is the perfect red for making the teeth appear whiter and in my case my smile that bit brighter.

In the bullet, there are tiny flecks of glitter visible which did initially worry me- but on the lips this translates as a creamy shine with dimension- keeping the overall look classic with a modern twist. Rouge Coco's and especially 'Gabrielle' are incredibly comfortable on the lips - moisturising enough yet long lasting. 'Gabrielle' will last you through several cocktails before fading to a stain that in itself is wearable.

I like to imagine this is the exact shade of red Coco herself wore, complete with signature black ensemble and simple string of pearls. Elegant. Glamorous. Iconic.

Guest post: Is it possible to become your own style icon?

While you are reading this, I am on holiday in Italy. I had a fantastic time there last year and have been looking forward to going back ever since I came home last year! However I haven't forgotten about my blog. While I am away I have lined up some lovely ladies to write some guest posts. First up is my fellow member of the Cardiff Blogs team, Sian.

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Having a style isn't easy. There are so many options to choose from as we are constantly bombarded with images of beautiful clothes for all pockets. We have programmes that help us decide what suits our shape, our colouring and even our age but we all buy the same things so how do we really develop our own style?

Customise! Accessorise!

I'm not a seamstress so making my own clothes is definitely out of the question but I like to embellish what I have and it's not expensive. Putting some clip-on earrings onto a pair of shoes, adding a bow to a plain t-shirt, or even something as simple as putting a kilt pin on the lapel of a jacket all help to make it your own.

I customised this by adding a clip-on earring

A top customised with a bow which was removed from a handbag

Kilt pin made by my Mum!

Accessorising your outfit can also make all the difference. The same black dress can be worn by a room full of women but different pieces of jewellery can make it look dramatically diverse! I'm very lucky in that my mother makes jewellery so I have a ready supply of accessories but having a custom piece made isn't pricey at all (depending on the materials you choose) and in my view is money well spent: you have a one-off piece that you helped design and that shows your style.

So I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't be afraid of finding something that you like and then quite easily turning it into something that you love. You'll end up with something unique and a style that is definitely you.

Guest Post: Walk away, Walk away, Walk away

Today's guest blogger is Steve, who I first met when I attended 'Cardiff Read', an informal book club that I joined a few months ago. On his blog where he shares his musings and photographs, Steve describes himself as a "proud father, loving husband, digital geek and rugby nut". When he's not doing the above, then he's out running and drawing pictures with GPS.Here Steve gives us his view on women and style:

My name’s Steve Dimmick. I’m 36 years old and I'm not a fashion addict. However, in LouLou’s absence I am providing a guest post that’s going to stand out like a year-old, washed-out Primark vest amidst all the Gucci and Chanel here. 

I thought it would be worthwhile for you dedicated followers of fashion and of course LouLouMuses to get a viewpoint from someone who’s not so much gawping at what’s coming down the runway this season, as wondering where the airport is.

You see I just don’t get fashion.  Especially, women’s fashion.

I write this sat in a bay-window, looking out on Cardiff’s fashion-conscious populace, who in turn are cringing on seeing me: I’m wearing a tired old tee-shirt and a pair of shorts that have palm-tree prints on them.  They were the first pair I grabbed this morning and are remnants of a long-passed, surf themed, stag-do.

So, whilst I look like the kids dressed me, my wife always looks great in “this season’s hottest styles”. Apparently. 

Do not take fashion advice from this man. You have been warned.

My wife has an amazing set of pins; seriously stunning. So, 6 months ago why did she buy a pair of, what I believe are called, hareem trousers?  They were a satiny cross between jogging bottoms, zip jeans and MC Hammer's pyjamas and did absolutely nothing for her.  (Disclaimer: I did, of course, tell her she looked great in them; I’m not an idiot!) But, in all honesty, they just levelled the playing field; hidden within this billowing pair of Trojan Horse trousers might have been something that would make Elle MacPherson purr with delight on Britain's Next Top Model or a brace of wrinkly, old, elephant legs.

Conversely, there’s the experience I went through at Reading Festival a few weeks back.  It seems that whilst disguising your curves was all the rage last winter, this summer you should unleash your wares on the unsuspecting public.  That’s right, after my younger brother bought me a weekend ticket for Reading as a belated birthday – not something I really wanted, oh no, but he really needed a partner in grime, so it was what I got – I pitched up expecting to see a variety of cagoules, waterproof trousers and wellies.  Whilst the latter were in full effect, the leg wear de rigueur was cut off denim shorts.

For those of you, like me, not in the know, the Reading Festival crowd is predominantly made up of kids who have just got their GCSE results and are unaware of the effect alcohol has on your body.   This meant there were hundreds of teenage girls stumbling around in cut off Levi's and wellingtons.  As a virile father of two, I’ll admit that on day one when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glance of a bum-cheek poking out of said cut-offs, I’d turn to appreciate the whole view. Only to swiftly realise I could be the subject’s father and subsequently hold my head in shame.  This happened a few times, before I managed to adjust my mind to the tricks being played on it.  Subsequently though, on seeing a group of said buttocks on show (collective noun suggestions for buttocks welcomed...) I began to realise that such is the female of the species’ dedication to fashion that it wasn't just the pert, lithe creatures that had deigned to wear these shorts, but also their peer-pressured curvier and, let's be frank, lumpier mates.  God loves a trier, but deary me, even religion isn't an excuse for the crimes mine eyes were subjected to.

In short, and in conclusion, whilst I haven’t the foggiest about fashion, I think that in the vast majority of circumstances, many wannabe lady fashionistas could do with a dose of common sense.

You’ve all tried stuff on and looked in a shop mirror and said, “You know what? This really suits me”. However, much more often I’d wager, your mind's saying (you never speak the bad stuff out loud), “Hmmm, I'm not really sure this is me after all”.  But you still purchase anyway.  Wear it once; nobody says anything good or bad, you realise they were being polite and it gets banished to a hanger in the recesses of your wardrobe(s)...

So, next time you’re teetering, quite literally, on the edge of buying a new pair of snake-skin, 7 inch heels, to go with tweed trousers or somesuch, have a good, honest word with yourself and ask what you’d say to your (ideally similarly shaped) mate if they were wearing it.  If it’s a polite nothing, walk away, walk away, walk away.

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LouLou says: Thanks Steve for your take on women's style. I knew you had a fashion critic inside you just dying to get out!

Guest Post: Beards - The Ultimate Fashion Accessory

In the name of equality, I've lined up a couple of male bloggers to write guest posts while I'm away. First man to step up to the plate? David Melkevik, a scriptwriter who describes himself as a "black-belt nerd" and blogs about all things film-related here. As David always seems to have a quirky take on everything, I thought it would be interesting to get him to write a post for me. So here it is!:

I love beards. Be it the full, the chinstrap, the Donegal, the Garibaldi, the Van Dyke or the soul patch – I love them all in their furry glory. The reason why I adore facial hair so much is that it is the only weapon in a man’s fashion arsenal that can radically change their look. This explains why a criminal goes on the run they disguise themselves with a fake-beard rather than getting a new Hugo Boss suit.

If teen movies have taught me anything (In fact they’ve taught me everything – my entire knowledge of the world pretty much comes from John Hughes) is that all a female nerd has to do is ditch the ponytail, slap in some contact lenses, choose lip gloss over nasal spray, ditch their corduroy dungarees for a little black dress and voilà they’re Natalie Portman.

In contrast no male nerd can drastically altar their appearance by simply removing their glasses. Except Clark Kent. But if the nerd was to hide their chin under some fuzz – it’s goodbye geek and hello badass!

Exhibit A - Ewan McGregor

Stamp Collector

Frickin' Jedi Knight!

That’s the cool thing about beards. They’re not just a comment on your style but your personality. You want to get the literary genius look? The full beard has got it sorted.

How about douche-bag? No probs.

Crazy-person? Bushy is best.

Wizard?  Hey Presto! Long and thin - just like a magic wand.

Evil-twin? Goatee is the only choice.

Every six months I dabble with the beard. And every six months I remember why I shaved it off last time – it’s an eruption of ginger Brillo on my face. Yet the key to a sweet-looking beard is perseverance – why do you think Santa Claus only shows up once-a-year? Because it takes him 365 days to cultivate such awesome facial fuzz!

Therefore for a man to succeed with the beard it will take time and as a consequence sacrifices need to be made such as never eating soup again. Yet the toughest decision a bearded man will ever have is when their wife makes the demand “It’s either me or the beard”.

Choose the beard – because as my final piece of evidence proves once your wife sees what she’s missing she’ll come running back.

Exhibit B - Chuck Norris

Uzis optional but beard essential

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LouLou says: Thanks David for your perspective on what constitutes the ultimate fashion accessory. I think we need to discuss this further!

Guest post: The Perfect Collection

Today's guest blogger is one of my fellow 'Cardiff Blogs' team members, the lovely Liz. Everyone I know who knows Liz always comments on her sense of style (in a very good way!), so she seemed the perfect choice to write a post for my blog while I am away. Although I am slightly disappointed that she didn't respond to my challenge to work her future husband a.k.a Prince Harry, into the post. The cocktails are on you Liz!:

Have you ever found a clothing range that you just absolutely love?  No, more than love. Adore?  A range that seems to encompass your very style, where every item of clothing is:
a) exactly what you’re looking for

b) beautiful

c) practical (by practical I mean you can justify it’s purchase

d) practically perfectly fitting in every way. 

Well, I’ve found it.  And my bank account hates me for it.

I discovered the Closet range at Dorothy Perkins (which stocks the range both online and in store). More recently I found it stocked on Fashion Union too. It's almost as if someone has come along and said, "What would Liz like?", and then proceeded to create every single flattering style of dress that I could ever imagine (you know, that thing you do where you create the perfect outfit in your head...or is that just me?)

Unfortunately (for my cash flow), there is nothing I don't like in this collection. Fortunately for you, however, I won't go into detail about every single item currently available, but I have highlighted a few that I particularly love, just to tempt you....

Blue Tab Gathered Dress, £40

This classic dress is a slightly updated version of one I own, which incidentally was the very first purchase I made from the Closet collection.  It’s simple, classic, a beautiful colour and it’s ideal for pretty much every occasion (I know this from my own extensive research). I’ve worn it to work, on a date, to a picnic, on a girls' night out and pretty much everything else in between. How you dress it for each occasion is up to you.  If you’re looking for an all rounder, you’ve found it.

Coral Pleated Crossover Dress, £48

My perfect cocktail dress a la ‘Sex and the City’.  Flattering in all the right places (for me anyway) and a great length to rock those heels and hit the dance floor.  The pleated skirt really makes this dress stand out; I don’t think it would have the same impact if it was anything other.  It comes with a cute waist clinching gold belt and the colour is gorgeous and although slightly summery, could take you into Autumn quite nicely.  Fabulous.

Green Cowl Neck Dress, £40

This is very much on my ‘want’ list.  Or to put it correctly, ‘want right now’.  A beautiful colour ready for the Autumn months, and once again, a perfect dress for work occasions, dates or if you just want to look distinctly glamourous on a Saturday shopping trip (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) Feminine and cut just above the knee, I think this is a style to suit most shapes.  One of those magic dresses which effortlessly enhances existing curves, yet somehow gives the appearance of that hourglass shape to those looking for a boost.  It is also very Mad Men-esque, which is, shall we say, in vogue right now.

Grey Contrast Dress, £50

This is a fun, flirty little dress, available in blue, white and burgundy as well as some patterned print versions too.  The grey and yellow contrast has to be my favourite though.  When Autumn/Winter rolls in, I like nothing more than to wear bright colours; no head to toe in black for me just because the sun has stopped shining! 

The length is a little shorter than I would usually go for, which limits its use, however, teamed with black tights, or knitted tights when the temperatures starts to drop, it can be made wearable for work.  A perfect example of a dress that is striking enough to wear alone, yet simple enough to accessorise to your heart’s content.

I know what you’re thinking.  How have you not discovered this collection before?  Ladies, you’re welcome.

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LouLou says: Thanks Liz. Some lovely choices there which I think will be making their way into my closet very soon!

Guest Post: The "No Makeup Makeup" Look

I was really pleased when I discovered that the lovely Emily a.k.a 'Shopgirl' over at Sugar and Spice was a Cardiff-based blogger. While I love a great style blog wherever it is based, it's nice to see someone local blogging, and I like it when they reference local events and place. So without further ado, here is Emily's great post on achieving the much sought after "no makeup makeup" look:

When the boy commented recently that there was not much difference between my made up face and my no make-up face, I took it as a complement and to mean that I had nailed the "no make-up" make-up look.

For work, I don’t like to go too over the top with my make-up. I like to look professional and together but not as if I am about to hit the town.

Boots No 7’s new Lash Adapt mascara is the perfect starting point for this look as it allows you to add more coats to your lashes if you are planning to go straight from the office to the bar but one coat is enough for the "no make-up" make-up look we are trying to achieve here.

I like a good base for my make-up but nothing too heavy – mainly because I hate the way it feels when anyone cakes the foundation on me. So I start by liberally applying Olay’s Radiant Glow moisturiser. I leave it to absorb into my face while I dry my hair and then I apply a little Instant Radiance Concealer under my eyes and Tinted Moisturiser over the rest of my face. It creates a lovely even tone with just enough of a dewy glow.

I find that cream blusher blends easily, giving a natural flush.

For my eyes, I line with a brown liner – keeping black for night-time. I’ve just tried out Boots No 7’s Autumn Collection double ended liner which has an ivory pencil at one end to highlight the inside corner of the eye too and naturally open it up a little.

For my day-time look, I swear by No 7’s Stay Perfect eye shadow in Mink . It goes with everything and if you plan to go from the office to the bar you can use it as a base for blending other coloured shadows into.

Finally, I like to finish off with a little lick of lipstick. The best natural colour I have found – which also looks great when balancing out a heavy smoky eye at night-time – is the Moisture Drench lipstick in Rumour .

And yes, before you ask, I am a massive No 7 fan. I stray occasionally but am always brought back – mainly because of the £5 vouchers Boots are always offering – and the quality of the product!

What is your day time make-up look?

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Lou Lou says: Thank you Emily. I love a beauty bargain and will definitely be trying out some of these products. Purely in the name of blog research of course!

Lou Lou Muses : Escentual Blog of the Week

I was really pleased over the moon to find out this morning that Escentual had chosen me as their Beauty Blog of the Week. I love this site as they have a great range of products, and their email newsletters are a daily dose of temptation in my inbox! When I first heard of them I didn't realise that they were a locally based company (only five minutes from my office in Cardiff), which of course means that my purchases with them are doing my bit for the local economy *cough* . Having met them on a few occasions to discuss Give and Make Up and Cardiff Blogs (the local bloggers meetup that I help organise), I can confirm that Louise and Emma (the resident blogger) are also lovely ladies to boot!

Escentual Beauty Blog of the Week

As the lovely Emma is on holiday, Escentual put a shout out on Twitter two weeks ago for guest bloggers, I jumped at the chance to write a post, so if you would like to read my answers to their Pick 'n' Mix Beauty Questions and discover my deepest, darkest beauty secrets (sort of!) then here's the link: Lou Lou Muses Pick 'n' Mix Beauty Questions

A Life in Lippie - Guest post for Get Lippie

I was very excited when Get Lippie put a call out on Twitter looking for bloggers to write guest posts on her blog while she is away on her holidays. I put my name in the hat straight away, and of course then had the usual blogging mental block about what I should blog about. I was even more excited when I submitted it and she said that she liked it and told me when it would be going live. Get Lippie is one of my favourite beauty blogs as you can always rely on her to tell it how it is, with a good dose of humour in the mix too. Check out her blog for my latest guest post: A Life in Lipstick